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The latest news on all your favorite apps.
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Google adds more handy tools to its data-monitoring app
Google launched its data-tracking app Datally for Android last year, giving users more insight into how and where they're using their phone plan data as well as more control over that usage. Now, Google has released a handful of new features for the app. First up is Guest Mode, through which Datally users can set the amount of data someone can use when borrowing their phone. And in that same vein, Datally now lets you apply daily data usage limits for yourself. The app will give you warnings as you approach that limit and once you reach it, you can either block data for the rest of the day or continue using it.
Amazon's DeepLens AI learning camera is now on sale for $250
Amazon is now shipping the $250 DeepLens camera it unveiled in November to help developers create AI image recognition apps and models. Though it looks pretty underwhelming, there's a fair amount of power in the smallish body. The camera 4-megapixel camera can shoot 1080p video, and the mini-computer below it packs 8GB of RAM and an Atom processor with 106 gigaflops of performance -- easily enough to run visual AI models offline.
Spanish soccer league app spied on fans to catch pirate broadcasts
Is your phone listening to you? After all, there has to be a reason why so many apps ask to access your device's microphone. App makers and websites have long dismissed creepily relevant adverts as merely "targeted advertising", but now one app has revealed the unnerving potential of this permission. Spanish soccer league app, La Liga, has admitted to spying on users, and in doing so it's turning sports fans into unknowing snitches.
Bob Ross can mellow you out through a mobile app
Be honest: if you've watched Bob Ross' The Joy of Painting, it was probably more for his ultra-relaxing voice than his artistic advice. More than a few people have admitted to nodding off to his episodes. If so, you'll be glad to hear that his dulcet tones are available on-demand through your phone. Calm has released an officially approved Bob Ross Sleep Story recording for its mobile app (simply titled Painting With Bob Ross) that, as you might guess, uses snippets from the artist's PBS show to help your slumber. You no longer have to leave a YouTube video open or find a way to grab the raw audio.
Google improves Translate with offline AI
Google isn't going to sit idly by while Microsoft brings AI-based offline translation to your phone. The company is rolling out internet-free neural machine translation to its Translate apps for Android and iOS, promising much more accurate language conversion when you don't have the luxury of data. The initial release covers 58 languages, including a slew of European and Indian languages as well as common translation targets like Arabic, Chinese and Japanese.
Android malware is infecting Amazon Fire TVs and Fire Sticks
If you've loaded any apps onto your Amazon Fire TV or Fire TV Stick that let you watch pirated movies and TV shows, you could be at risk from a cryptocurrency-mining Android virus. AFTVnews reports that the virus -- a malware worm variant -- is not specifically targeting Fire TV devices, but they're vulnerable because of their Android-based operating system.
Uber launches a low-data Lite app that's just 5MB in size
Uber essentially ceded most of the Asian market after it merged with Chinese rival Didi Chuxing, but it still has a strong presence in India. To cement its position and grow further, the ridesharing firm has unveiled a new app, Uber Lite. It's less than 5MB in size, compared to over 180 MB for its regular app, works on nearly any Android (and only Android) device, and will function even if users have poor internet speeds or intermittent connectivity.
Facebook will send fewer 'you are now connected' Messenger reminders
For those who spend the majority of their time online plugged into Facebook, the red dot notification feels like an urgent call to action. It pops up via tags, comments, Likes and other NewsFeed activity, but it can also appear alongside more infuriating actions like the dreaded "You are now connected on Messenger" alert. The good news is that Facebook thinks it might appear too often, and will soon cut the number of unnecessary reminders with the help of machine learning.
Google's Lens AI camera is now a standalone app
Google has made good on its promise to release a standalone Lens app in the Play Store. The feature is already integrated on most Android phones, and the app doesn't come with any new features, so really it just serves as a quick launch for the platform. It's only available on devices with Marshmallow and above, and already many users are reporting that it's not working properly on some devices, but hey, it's Lens. The feature, which lets you identify artwork, landmarks and even dogs, hasn't always lived up to its promise as a computer vision platform. However, Google has recently launched a load of cool new Lens features, such as text integration and Style Match, so at least the separate app means that everyone will be able to play with them.
The new Mac App Store is inspired by iOS
Apple has revealed a redesigned Mac App Store at WWDC 2018, which takes clear design cues from the iOS version of the shop. You'll notice right away that it now looks a lot like the one on your iPhone and iPad, featuring a "Discover" tab that will highlight a wide range of curated content, anything from "best apps" lists to tutorials and behind-the-scenes stories from developers. Ratings and reviews of applications are now front and center, too, while video previews are making its debut on the Mac App Store for the first time -- that's a feature that launched on iOS in 2014.
Apple approves first Telegram update since Russia ban
Apple has finally rolled out the latest version of Telegram on the App Store, a day after company chief Pavel Durov said that the tech giant has been blocking its updates since April. Telegram version 4.8.2 will make the app GDPR-compliant -- something that it should've been since the EU enforced the data protection and privacy law on May 25th. It also adds features that'll allow you to stop updating your contacts and to delete your synced ones, as well as to disable link previews in Secret Chats.
What to expect at WWDC 2018
It's officially June now, which means it's time for us to pack our bags, get on a plane to California and take in the second major developer conference of the season: Apple's WWDC. We'll be on the ground at San Jose's McEnery Convention Center next week scrounging up insights from as many presentations and developer sessions as we can crash. But as always, the show's focal point is the Monday keynote, during which Apple lays out its future in software. Be sure to keep your browser locked on our liveblog when the keynote begins on Monday, June 4th at 10AM PT/1PM ET — until then, read on for a primer on all the things we expect to see once the keynote unfolds.
Google's Files Go storage management app lands in China
Most of Google's products are still banned in China, but the tech giant has slowly been introducing (and re-introducing) some of its offerings in the country. Its latest release is a China-specific version of Files Go -- the Android storage management app that can help people free up space for low-end devices. As you might know, the app was originally created for use in developing nations, but it was so well-received that it was eventually released worldwide. Since Google Play is still banned there, though, the big G is making Files Go available through third-party Chinese app stores, including Baidu's, Xiaomi's and Huawei's.
Snapchat logins could work for other apps in the future
You might be seeing the words "Log in with Snapchat" in non-Snapchat apps in the near future. According to TechCrunch, the company is planning to launch its first full-fledged developer platform called Snapkit, which will allow third-party developers to give users the option to log into their apps with Snapchat credentials. In addition, the kit will give developers a way to host Snapchat's camera instead of having to create one that's not quite as powerful. If they choose, they can also let people use their Bitmoji avatars in their apps.
What to keep in mind before switching to a mobile-first bank
The day I got my first-ever paycheck, I scrawled my signature on the back, went to the bank, dropped it off with a kindly teller and left with a deposit slip and a smile on my face. A few years after that, a Canadian financial titan bought my bank and started managing it differently. That made the decision to embrace an upstart, mobile-first bank -- Simple, in this case -- that much easier. I can't pretend that the idea of trusting my money to a startup wasn't a little worrisome, but the appeal of novel features and Silicon Valley speed quickly won me over and I haven't looked back. You might enjoy making the switch too, but before you pull the trigger, here are a few questions to ask yourself.
Philips' Hue app is actually good now
At this year's CES Philips announced a forthcoming update for its Hue smart lights app. The company kept details to a minimum, but now we know exactly what the promised improvements look like, as v3.0 rolls out on the Play Store today. Alongside a raft of feature additions, it's had a complete makeover.
Apple pledges to disclose government app takedown requests
Tech titans have been refining and expanding their transparency reports: Google made its biannual documents easier to read, while Facebook added inquiries related to copyright, trademark and counterfeiting. Today, Apple released their report, and nestled inside is a pledge to disclose government requests to remove applications from the App Store in the future.
Instagram’s ‘mute’ feature hides annoying accounts
We've probably all been there: After a dating situation goes sour, you don't want to see your former flame's posts in your Instagram feed, but haven't quite ripped the Band-Aid off yet and unfollowed or blocked them. After all, there's still a chance you could patch things up. Well, to make things less awkward, Instagram has introduced a mute feature that sounds almost exactly like Facebook's.
Bank of America's AI assistant is ready to help with your finances
We've been expecting voice-powered virtual assistants in financial apps for a while now — Bank of America started developing its own back in 2016. Dubbed Erica, the virtual assistant is now ready to roll out to the bank's 25 million mobile clients across the US, from now through June of this year.
Waze's traffic data is available in Ford Sync 3 cars
You now have a simple way to put Waze on car's screen -- if you have the right phone and the right car. As promised back at CES, iPhone owners can now project the crowdsourced navigation app on the touchscreens of Ford's Sync 3-equipped cars. It won't be as sophisticated as the Android Auto implementation, but you can still use both touch and voice control for most tasks (you can't type in an address while the car is moving, for obvious reasons). You don't need to do much more to get started beyond plugging your iPhone into the car's USB port.